


First Time(s) at the Algarve

by Krashlyn



Category: USWNT - Fandom, Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-30 04:19:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krashlyn/pseuds/Krashlyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They both want the same thing- but no one has made a move... yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Walk

"I'm not even tired. Maybe I'll go for a walk." Ashlyn put it out there, hoping someone would take the bait. Hoping that someone would be Ali. She slowly got up and pretended to stretch to make it more obvious she was about to go. She saw Ali yawn out of the corner of her eye and figured it was a lost cause. "I'll be back in a few guys..."

"Actually, hang on a sec. I'm not tired either" Ali lies but Ashlyn is glad she does "I'm gonna come with you. Anyone else?" She asks but doesn't wait for an answer as she walks out of the room. She could never pass up a chance to be alone with Ashlyn. The rest of the team looks around at each other knowingly. They all know Ali has a crush on Ashlyn but no one knows for sure if Ashlyn has figured it out yet.

...

"Left or right?" Ali asks with arms pointing in both directions when they walk out the hotel's main entrance. Ashlyn says nothing but motions to the right and they start on their way. "Why do I feel like you know exactly where you're going?"

"Because I do. This ain't my first rodeo." She jumped up and clicked her heels. Ali laughed and shook her head. "But really I remember from last year. We had a lot of downtime between games, lots of time to explore..." Ali was quiet, thinking back to last years Algarve Cup and how she had to watch from home- still recovering from her knee injury. "...I'm happy you're here this year. It wouldn't be the same without you." Ashlyn pulled her out of her thoughts when she noticed what Ali was probably thinking about.

Ali feels herself smile but tries to keep it under control- she grazes Ashyln's upper arm and loops her own with it- her hands resting on her bicep. Now Ashlyn feels herself smile too.

They walk down a sandy walkway to the beach and wander along the shoreline for a while. Ali still making sure to hold onto Ashlyn's arm in some way the whole time. As they walked back toward the hotel- Ashlyn realized she was still not ready to let go of their time alone together. She freed herself from Ali's hold and grabbed her hand. The touch alone made both of their hearts jump. Ashlyn tried to make it seem like she _needed_ to grab Ali's hand so she could lead her a secret way back to the hotel but they both knew it was essentially Ashlyn's first move.

She guided her past the pool and hot tubs, around the lounge area, and through the hotel gardens. No one was out at this time- which was surprising to Ashlyn- considering it was only 10 pm- but she certainly didn't mind the privacy. They finally arrived at Ashlyn's destination- a cluster of hammocks hung between palm trees- hidden from the rest of the resort. She let go of Ali's hand. "How did you know about this?" Ali asked as she looked around- trying to find the best hammock to lay on.

"I told you..." Ali patiently waited for the rest of the explanation... "this ISN'T my first rodeo!" Ashlyn pretended to yell but she laughed and Ali pushed her back by her shoulder. "No, but really. It's on the hotel map. Read up, kid." Ashlyn took a few steps closer and wrapped her arm around Ali's shoulders. Ali shook her head again with a smile.

"Such a wise ass" and she playfully pushed Ashlyn off.

"But I'm your favorite wise ass" Ashlyn beamed with a huge smile on her face. Ali's smile grew.

"Don't push it, Harris." She mumbled through the smile. Ali finally spotted the perfect hammock- close to the edge of the lawn, facing the ocean. She took a deep breath and grabbed Ashlyn's hand, pulling the blond behind her as she walked to the spot. Ashlyn could feel her heart beating faster and hoped Ali didn't notice.

"How do you get on a hammock with two people? I don't think I've ever come across that before." She looked back at Ashlyn who was still smiling at her. She let go of Ali's hand and moved toward the hammock, pushing it up in the air and leaning her back against it. She motioned for Ali to come stand next to her on the right and wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

"Hang on" Ashlyn warned as she carefully walked forward, her arm still tightly wrapped around Ali. They are slowly forced to lean back until they are lying on their backs, lightly swinging on the hammock. "That's how you get on a hammock with two people" Ashlyn whispers slyly as they stare up at the stars. She really just wanted to whisper into Ali's ear- hoping to increase her chances.

They stared up at the stars for a while in silence, each one hesitant to say something to the other. Ashlyn thought about pulling in the arm that was still around Ali- pulling her close- but she didn't want to make a move if Ali didn't want the same thing. They had snuggled a hundred times before- but tonight felt different- it felt real.

Ali stopped herself twice before going for it. She slowly rolled to her left and trailed her right hand across Ashlyn's stomach...


	2. the Hammock

...Ali let her thumb slowly rub across Ashlyn's abs as she trailed her hand. Ashlyn was surprised by Ali's advance- she tried to act normal, like it was nothing, like it didn't make her stomach flip a thousand times. But Ashlyn's lack of a reaction made Ali nervous.  _What if she doesn't want this?_

Ashlyn did want this- more than Ali could ever know.

She tightened her wrap around the brunette and pulled her in to rest her head on Ashlyn's shoulder. "Hey you" Ashlyn spoke quietly, in the most endearing voice she could muster. ' _Hey you?' Smooth, Ash. Real smooth._ She was never nervous around other girls, so why was she so nervous around Ali?

Ali felt her cheeks turn pink _. She just 'hey you'd' me. That's something, right? You don't say 'hey you' to someone you DON'T like..._  As Ashlyn was kicking herself for saying something so lame- Ali felt her own hopes raise higher. She nuzzled into Ashlyn's neck and hid a smile growing on her lips, holding Ash a little closer.

 _She's cuddling closer. Do something. Don't let this chance pass by._  This is the most nervous Ashlyn has been in years. Forget about the possibility of getting her first cap this week- Ali was all she could think about right now. Ashlyn moved her right hand down to slowly rub Ali's back while still keeping her eyes on the sky. A small advance, nothing too much in case Ali was just being friendly. A common situation Ashlyn had found herself in for months.

Ashlyn's heart thudded in her chest. Just having Ali this close made her heart beat faster and faster.  _Do something. Kiss her forehead... no, don't kiss her forehead. That's too much._ Ashlyn argued with herself for a couple minutes before acting. She opted out of kissing her- that would have to be Ali's decision.

Ashlyn made another advance. She trailed her free hand up Ali's arm, the arm that was laid across her body, and back down to her forearm. She let her thumb softly graze underneath Ali's wrist before lacing their fingers together. She felt Ali's breath hitch.  _That's a good sign. You still have it._

Ali's turn, if she chose to continue...


	3. the Next Step

Ali couldn't take it anymore- her heart was pounding. She could feel how red her cheeks were getting and a continous addition of butterflies to her stomach. With every stroke on her back she felt herself melt further into Ashlyn. Ali figured she would go for the kill- if this didn't work, she didn't know what would.

She nuzzled closer to Ashlyn's neck, settling in nearer, and let her eyelashes softly flutter against Ashlyn's skin.  _This never fails._ The hand on her back stopped dead in it's tracks.

Ashlyn felt the lashes on her neck and froze. It sent chills up her spine- she was completely caught off guard. She felt other girls' lashes on her skin before, she knew what they were aiming at, but this is Ali. _Oh my god... Keep rubbing her back._ It felt like time was standing still for a moment.  _Another flutter._ The tension was rising. Ashlyn was getting close to losing this battle against herself.  _Another flutter. This girl is going to be the death of me._ Ashlyn couldn't bare it anymore- she acted without thinking.

Ali felt the back rub resume and was slightly confused.  _How did that NOT work? I thought for sure it..._ but before she could finish her thought, she felt Ashlyn's hand move from her back to her neck- fingers combed lightly into her hair and then wrapped around her neck, the edge of Ashlyn's thumb drawing slow circles behind Ali's ear. Her hand felt so good on Ali's skin she couldn't resist- she knew Ashlyn was hesitant to make the first move so he took matters into her own hands.

Tilting her head slowly upwards she lined up her face to Ashlyn's- softly nudging her cheek with her nose causing Ashlyn to turn towards her. When she did, Ali leaned in and kissed her slowly, softly but with certain intention. She let the kiss linger until she realized Ashlyn was not kissing back. Ali pulled away slowly- not daring to open her eyes- but before she had a chance to wonder- Ashlyn leaned to her this time and pulled her in for another kiss. Ashlyn's hand came up to her cheek and Ali felt fingertips on the back of her neck again and she couldn't help but smile into Ashlyn's lips.


	4. After This...

The kissing continued for a few minutes. Ashlyn softly guided Ali's head along with her own. She slid her hand down to Ali's hip and pushed her closer to her center. Ali moved with her and Ashlyn was shocked at the feeling in her stomach when she felt Ali's leg tangle with her own. Ali broke the kiss, also surprised by how it made her feel. Ali wanted more of her. She leaned back in for another kiss.

Ashlyn wanted more too. She pulled Ali's body further on top of her and moved her hand to the small of Ali's back, eliciting a soft sigh from Ali's lips. Ashlyn allowed the sigh to linger before leaning close to her again. When Ali tried to meet her lips, Ashlyn slightly pulled back, denying her a kiss. Ashlyn lured her in a second time and pulled back when Ali tried again and Ashlyn couldn't help but grin a little. She could hear Ali smile too and before she had a chance to say anything about it- Ashlyn crashed their lips together, kissing Ali with an urgency only the two of them could understand.

They were interrupted by the noise of people in the distance and Ash giggled shyly into Ali's neck, their legs still intertwined. "We should get back" Ashlyn leaned back a little to finally breathe. "We have training in the morning."

"Yea" Ali replied quietly, wondering what this all meant. Ashlyn could see the uncertainty in her eyes and raised her left hand to Ali's cheek. She had to leave a lasting impression for tonight, after all, it was their first kiss.

"After this..." she was looking at Ali's lips. She leaned in slowly, pausing briefly to glance up into her eyes before softly pressing her lips to Ali's. Ali allowed the kiss to overcome her and she melted into the way it felt. Slowly and passionately they shared the moment together. And right before she pulled away, Ashlyn licked Ali's bottom lip and kissed her for just second longer before leaning back. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ali with her's still closed, still lost in the kiss and it was the cutest thing she'd ever seen.

...

They walked the short distance back to the hotel entrance without a word. Ash pressed the elevator button and hoped the doors would open soon. Thankfully, they did and the two stepped inside letting the doors close after them. Ashlyn pushed the button for the 5th floor and stood back next to Ali. The tension was thick but not awkward and neither of them knew what to say.

When the doors opened, Ashlyn motioned for Ali to go first without really looking at her. Ali was too nervous to make eye contact anyway. Ashlyn walked Ali to her room where they both knew it was inevitable they would have to speak.

"So... goodnight" Ashlyn raised her shoulders and Ali finally looked her in the eye.

"Yea" Ali whispered bashfully and looked down at her feet with a smile. Ashlyn pulled her in for a hug and wrapped her arms around Ali's shoulders tightly before turning to walk away. She stopped herself just as she heard Ali swipe her room key.

"Hey, Al?" Ashlyn inquired in a welcoming tone. Ali hummed in response. "...if you're  _not tired_  tomorrow night, maybe we can go for a walk again?"

Ali couldn't control her smile, try as she might, she looked back at Ashlyn and said their final words of the night "that sounds nice". Ashlyn returned the smile and continued walking down the hall.  _Tomorrow is going to be a good day..._


	5. the Next Day

Team breakfast. Ashlyn is sitting with Syd, Kristie, and Kelley and she's really into telling a story. Her eye catches Ali walking in with Press and she pauses for a second, losing her concentration, before trying to recover and continue the story. No one seemed to notice the hiccup and Ashlyn was so enthusiastic about her story they couldn't wait to hear the rest.

Ali still hadn't spotted her yet and when she did she felt so nervous she opted to avoid the possibly awkward situation and sit at another table. She didn't want to avoid her but she didn't want to be in her face either. She didn't have the confidence Ashlyn had when it came to putting herself out there. Sure she was confident in other areas but this was not one of them.

"Morning guys" Ashlyn stood behind Ali and greeted the table. They all responded back and Ali turned to say hello, trying not to seem obvious but she blushed anyway and gave Ashlyn a knowing smile. She smiled back. "I wanted to talk to you about yesterday" she looked Ali in the eyes.  _Oh no. No no no. We can't have this conversation publicly._ Ali looked alarmed, which confused Ashlyn and she tilted her head skeptically until she realized. "About  _practice_   yesterday" she clarified.

Ashlyn laughed lightly at Ali's misunderstanding.  _I am not trying to have THAT conversation in public._  She continued "Kelley and I were just talking the drill we did at the end of practice and we have an improvement for it. We should add a rotation. Down to try it today?" She inquired.

Ali should have known Ashlyn would be professional in a team setting, especially in the days leading up to a game. She felt dumb for thinking she was talking about last night. "That sounds good. You going to get in on the rotation?" She joked.

"I think I'll stay in the goal." She laughed back "See you guys at practice." She patted Ali's shoulder and jogged to catch up with Kelley. Ashlyn was not going to let there be an awkwardness- her confidence triumphed again and Ali was glad it did.

...

"So, did something happen between you two last night?" Kelley asked quietly as they walked back to their rooms. Ashlyn was completely caught off guard and didn't answer her. "Don't worry, no one said anything... but I saw the way you looked at her when she walked in for breakfast." It was hard to get something past Kelley. "I won't say anything."

Ashlyn opened the door to her room and motioned for Kelley to come in. "You can't tell anyone. No one, Kel!" Kelley shook her head up and down in agreement. "Ok. Ali... mightakissedme" she mumbled it into one word and looked down at her shoes, her hand wrapped around the back of her own neck. When she looked back up Kelley was smiling.

"Finally!"

"Finally? What're you talking about?" Ashlyn was puzzled.

"Ash, she definitely has a crush on you. Like, for sure... she does. We all have thought so for a while now."

"We? I thought you said 'no one said anything'?" Ashlyn caught her but Kelley didn't care anymore. She got the info she wanted with a small lie, so what. "A-ha! Caught ya." She nudged Kelley backward. "But for real, you won't say anything, right?"

Kelley raised her hand "Your secret is safe with me" but she wasn't done questioning. "Did she  _kiss_   _you_ -kiss you or did she just kiss you?" Ashlyn just looked at her for a second.

"We made out, Kel. You want me to draw you a picture?" 

"I'm just trying to get the details, jeeze." She backed off a little. But only for a second "Did you do anything else?" she grinned when she asked it.

"No. It was our first kiss." Ashlyn was getting a little tired of the questions now. "I didn't want it to go further yet. I want to do it right this time. You know... if she even likes me like that."

"Wow, Ashlyn Harris restraining herself. I'm so proud." Kelley put her hand over her heart and dodged a pillow thrown her way.

"You're a dick." She pointed at Kelley. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm always good." Ashlyn stated sarcastically and smiled.

"Yea, yea, yea. Well, let me know if anything else happens." Kelley tossed the pillow back to Ashlyn and left to get ready for practice.

Ashlyn sat on the bed holding the pillow between both hands and responded to Kelley's request even though she was gone "Hopefully tonight". The smile on her face grew wide when she remembered what Kelley said. _Ali Krieger... has a crush on me._

... 


	6. Chapter 6

The team had an early dinner and everyone was excited for some free time that night. Most of the girls spent their time playing card games or watching movies. A few of them would spend some alone time or call back home. Not Ashlyn- she liked to do things in their free time. She always had more than enough energy to go around. Even more so tonight- with the excitement of last night lingering in her mind she almost couldn't take it anymore.

Ali was the same, maybe a little more nervous, pacing in her room waiting for a good time to go meet the team and eventually go for a walk with Ashlyn. But she didn't want to go to soon and seem eager. So she paced. _Stop being nervous, this is your best friend. There's nothing to be nervous about._ But she couldn't help it.

Ashlyn made sure her hair was just right. She buttoned-up her favorite shirt and made sure it was soft enough to the touch for a little closeness. She rolled her pant legs once at the bottom and slipped on her shoes. _Ok, let's do this. Don't be nervous. Its just a girl._

When Ali got to Tobin's room, Ashlyn was already there peering over the edge of the bed at the card game going on. No one heard Ali come in over the noise of Kelley and Alex arguing and she sat down on the bed next to Ashlyn. The blond slowly turned her gaze from the game and let her eyes meet Ali's. She sat up a little taller and smiled at the brunette. "Pretty intense game" she paused for a second before turning back to the cards.

"I still don't understand that game" Ali laughed.

"Same. But its fun to watch Kelley and Tobin make fun of Alex" Ashlyn replied back.

"Hi, Ali." Alex commented without even looking up. "Want in?" She continued to stare nowhere but at her cards. Ashlyn wondered to herself how they were going to leave without anyone noticing, especially Kelley. Ali politely declined Alex's offer, much to Alex's content... "See, Kell, even Ali knows I'm going to kick everyone's ass!"

"I think I'm going to go watch the movie instead." Ali stated. Ashlyn's hope died a little- assuming Ali was having a change of heart. Ali got up and stretched her arms and Ashlyn refused to let herself look at Ali. She did not want to seem to eager, too into it if Ali wasn't. But Ali let her arms fall back down and swung one at Ashlyn so she would look at her. "Meet me at the hammocks in five?" She whispered so the other girls couldn't hear and Ashlyn shook her head 'yes' before Ali left.

...

Ashlyn snuck out with a lame excuse but the girls were so into the game they hardly noticed what was going on. She managed to avoid running into anyone she knew in the lobby and headed out to the hammock area. Ali was sitting, swinging on a hammock when she arrived. "I see you got on no problem this time." Ashlyn joked and Ali gently swung her foot at her. Ashlyn grabbed her foot and pulled it toward her. The hammock slowly rocked forward and she spun around and sat next to Ali, her hand resting on Ali's knee.

"Its so nice out" Ali sighed. _Yea, talk about the weather, that will surely win her over._  Ali needed to calm down. She was thinking too far into everything. _You've been friends with this girl for so long. Be yourself._  But she was struggling with the butterflies in her stomach.

"Yea, its beautiful. I know that's why you wanted to come out here." Ashlyn joked at her.

"Oh yea, that's why" Ali replied sarcastically with a giggle and turned her head to face Ashlyn. She was not laughing but instead had a smile in her eyes and she glanced down at Ali's lips and back into her eyes before leaning in to kiss her. Ashlyn had always imagined being the aggressor in this situation with Ali but she couldn't be the one to make the first move yesterday, that had to be Ali. Ashlyn was taking over from this point on.

She kissed her with more certainty than the night before and Ali could feel the difference, the passion. This made her even more nervous and she couldn't help but let Ashlyn take control of the kiss. Ashlyn was careful with her, not wanting to push her too far in the kiss. Ashlyn felt herself come back- she wasn't as nervous as earlier. Kissing Ali felt like nothing she ever felt before. It felt right. And she knew Ali felt it then too because she felt her smile against her lips, which made Ashlyn smile too. "You're a good kisser" Ashlyn spoke into Ali's lips before kissing them again.

...


	7. Chapter 7

They lost themselves in the kiss- it was like nothing else existed and they were the only two people on Earth. They even forgot they were technically in public so Ashlyn was startled when she heard people walking their way.

She pulled away but when she opened her eyes she could see Ali in front of her, eyes still closed, still leaning in and it made her smile even more.

Ashlyn cleared her throat and Ali opened her eyes just in time to see two people enter the hammock clearing from behind the palm trees. Thankfully it was no one they knew, considering they both lied about where they were going.

“Want to get out of here?” Ashlyn tilted her head to Ali and inquired. “Maybe a walk on the beach?” Ali shook her head up and down and grabbed Ashlyn’s outstretched hand to follow her.

They walked down the same path they came up the night before and Ashlyn guided them the opposite way down the beach- claiming it was “less traveled”.

Ali figured she wanted to go that way for more privacy. She guided them closer to the water and pulled her hoodie off to lay it on the ground. “Aren’t you going to be cold?” Ali asked at her but sat down anyway.

Ashlyn watched her and answered sheepishly “No, I’m pretty warm right now” and she smiled- thinking back on the little make-out session they just had. “Plus, I don’t want you to get sand all over your favorite jeans” she sat down next to Ali.

“So… you noticed what I was wearing, huh?”

Ashlyn blushed. “I always take notice when it comes to you” she wrapped her arms around her own knees and leaned closer to the ocean. Ali scooted a little closer. “I even remember what you were wearing when I first laid eyes on you” Ashlyn admitted and Ali paused for a second before she turned to kiss the keeper.

Ashlyn was surprised Ali went for a kiss instead of asking about the first time she “laid eyes on her” as Ashlyn so smoothly put it. The kiss escalated quickly and Ashlyn dropped her hands from her knees and brought her right hand to Ali’s cheek, her left hand dug into the sand so she could prop herself up.

Ali wrapped an arm around Ashlyn’s back, pulling her closer. She always wondered what it would be like to kiss the blond but she never thought she would feel anything like this. Something clicked the first time their lips met. The emotions were overwhelming and Ali lost her head to let her body take over.

She deepened the kiss and even though this was her first time _really_ kissing a girl she seemed be doing everything just right. She bit down lightly on Ashlyn’s lower lip before pulling slowly away, leaning her forehead to Ashlyn’s.

It was only a couple seconds of pause before Ashlyn crashed their lips together. It was an action driven more by need than by want and Ali made a mental note: _remember to do that again._

Her head was spinning with lust and she couldn’t help but pull herself onto Ashlyn’s lap to straddle her- something that completely blew Ashlyn away.

 _Wow, I didn’t know Ali had it in her._ She grabbed her hip with one hand, the other still in the sand, and slid Ali closer- eliciting a soft exhale. Ashlyn wanted to hear her make that noise over and over again.

Things had really heated up and it didn’t seem like Ali was planning to stop anytime soon. Ashlyn sat up straight without breaking the kiss and brought both arms around Ali’s waist. She worked her way up to slide her thumb under the hem of Ali’s shirt, her palm spread over Ali’s skin and her body immediately stiffened.

Ali felt the contact and it sent electricity though her body like nothing she ever felt before. Her nerves came rushing back and she froze, her hand trembled on Ashlyn’s neck.

 _There is the Ali I know._ Ashlyn laughed to herself.

Ali tried to continue without Ashlyn realizing but she had lost the rhythm and was distracted by the hand on her body. Ashlyn noticed and quickly pulled her hand away and placed it on her thigh. She broke the kiss. Ali followed though and kissed her again, as if to prove she wasn’t scared, she didn’t want to ruin this. She felt Ashlyn smile against her lips and move both hands to her ribs. “Hey… hey” she said slowly, their lips still touching.

“I’m sorry” Ali dropped her head a little “I just… I got-“

“Nervous? It’s okay, Al” Ashlyn tipped Ali’s chin so their eyes could meet. “I was moving too fast. I just got caught up and-“

“I like you” Ali confessed and she rolled her eyes to the ground after she said it- as if it were something she was afraid to admit. If only she kept her eyes on Ashlyn she would see the huge smile plastered on her face. “Maybe you already knew that... but um… yea. I... like you.” She still refused to meet Ashlyn’s gaze.

Ashlyn knew the best way to calm Ali’s nerves. “You mean when you kissed me last night it wasn’t because you **hate** me?” Ali laughed a little.

“Okay, sounds like you **did** know I like you” Ali laughed at her own obvious confession.

“What’s not to like?” Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and leaned back to catch Ali’s eye.

“Oh, you’re full of it” Ali pushed her shoulder playfully. 

“And you’re all over it” Ashlyn had to get one more joke in there. Ali shook her head and tried to hide her amusement but she was smiling still. “No, but in all seriousness- you deserve better than someone who’s going to push you to do things you’re not ready for. I was moving too fast. I’m sorry. That one was on me” she reassured the girl sitting on her lap.

“It’s not that I don’t want to do this… I’ve just nev-“

“You don’t need to explain anything” Ali was silent for a moment and Ashlyn continued. “I think we should cool it off and take it slow” she saw Ali flinch a little.

Ali’s demeanor changed. _She doesn’t like me._ She shook her head side-to-side. “You never take it slow with girls and now that’s what you want?” she pushed herself back, much to Ashlyn’s dismay. “Sorry I’m not like the other girls. I like you and that makes me nervous so I got scared. But… I get it” she started to get up.

“Ali?!” Ashlyn tried to stop her but she was pretty intent on separating herself. “Hey” she laughed a little at Ali’s misunderstanding and stood up before Ali could turn to walk away. She grabbed her hand. “I like you too. Like- really, **really** like you” Ali stopped trying to walk away. “And you’re right. I probably didn’t take it slow with other girls. But you’re not like those other girls, Ali.” Ashlyn pulled her so they were facing each other. “I’d like to do things right for once” she continued. Ali’s heart practically melted. “If that’s okay with you?”

There were no words to answer that question so Ali did all she could think to do. She wrapped her arms around Ashlyn’s neck and leaned up to place a soft, passionate kiss on her lips. When they broke, Ali nodded her head “yes” their lips barely touching.

…

They eventually made their way back toward the hotel- Ashlyn’s arm around Ali’s shoulder keeping her close. They walked slowly, not wanting to rush their alone time together but also not wanting to be missing for too long. Ali thought back on the conversation they just had. “So… Ashlyn Harris is kind of a romantic” she smiled but kept looking straight ahead.

Ashlyn turned to her in confusion until she realized what Ali was talking about. She blushed and faced forward again before replying. “I guess so” she pulled Ali closer and gave her a kiss on the top of the head. “Don’t tell anyone” she whispered in Ali’s ear and her smile grew wider. 

... 

Ashlyn walked Ali to her room just like the night before. She looked both ways down the empty hallway just to make sure, then looked at her feet. She laughed a little. "What?" Ali asked. 

"Now **I'm** nervous..." she chuckled a little and Ali did too. Just hearing Ali's laugh made her realize it was worth it. She gained her courage back and took a deep breath. "So, I was thinking- maybe I can take you on a date?" She palmed the back of her neck and looked up to find a grinning Ali. 

"That sounds..." Ali considered making a joke and finishing her sentence with 'romantic' but she decided against it. She didn't want to make fun of Ashlyn's romantic side. She liked it that side of her- she had never seen it before. "...perfect". She moved closer to Ashlyn and wrapped her arms around her waist, feeling Ashlyn’s arms around her shoulders, she breathed her in. “Goodnight” Ali mumbled into her collar bone. 

Ashlyn tilted Ali’s chin up and kissed her softly on the lips and then turned to walk down the hall. Ali closed the door to an empty room and leaned back against it, smiling uncontrollably. _Eeek! Ashlyn Harris just asked me on a date!!_  

...

 


	8. Chapter 8

The first game of the Algarve was in two days and even though the team trained hard daily (sometimes twice), Ashlyn was staying after each practice- doing reps, running laps, getting touches. Anything she could do to better her chances- she was on it. Kelley often stayed with her and did the same types of things- she was always one of the most dedicated when it came to training. 

The extra training meant ice baths were a definite and as much as Ashlyn hated it- it had to be done. When she got out her skin was burning and all she wanted to do was curl in a ball and wrap herself in the comforter of her hotel bed. Not possible though. There was still a team lunch and then a meeting and then a yoga session later. But dinner was open tonight and a few of the girls thought it would be fun to order Indian food.

... 

Ashlyn made sure to walk extra slow from her room to lunch in hopes she would run into Ali. That way, it would seem like a coincidence and not like she was trying to find her. It worked- even Ashlyn was surprised when she saw her come around the corner. “Hey!” Ashlyn heard the excitement in her own voice and cleared her throat. “Ahem… I mean, hey” she said quieter. 

“Did you just get back from the pitch?” Ali walked over and they met halfway. Neither of them made a move but both of them smiled at the fact they didn’t. 

“Yea, a few minutes ago. I’m heading down to lunch now. Coming?” 

“Let me just change real quick?” They walked down a few doors and Ali swiped her card. Ali walked ahead and pulled off her cover-up, tossing it on the bed. Ashlyn caught herself staring and quickly turned away before Ali could take notice. It’s not like she had never seen her in a bathing suit before. She had a thousand times- just not since she knew what was possible with Ali in that little clothing. 

“I’m um… going out on the balcony” she quickly turned and tried to walk past Ali. At the same time Ali was turning toward the dresser to get a t-shirt and shorts. She turned right into a rushing Ashlyn. Ash placed a hand on her back to prevent her from tripping backward onto the bed. “Heh, sorry” Ashlyn almost whispered as they were face to face, Ali looking up at her. Ashlyn let her eyes drop to Ali’s lips for a second before they wandered over Ali’s should and to the bed behind her. She desire she felt was unparalleled. _Control yourself, Harris._ She took a deep breath and let go of Ali who was still staring at her, waiting for her to make a move. 

Ashlyn turned her head. “Balcony” she pointed to the door and walked outside to let Ali change. Ali stood there for a second, bewildered. _What just happened?_ _That was awkward._ But she tried not to think too deep into it and got changed quickly for lunch. Quickly, but still managed to fix her make-up and put on perfume, something she wouldn’t normally do for a regular team event. 

“Ready?” she stepped onto the balcony. 

“Sure am… you look good” Ashlyn smiled at her. 

“Oh, thanks” 

“Since when do you put on make-up for lunch?” Ashlyn teased. She caught her. 

“Well, I… I didn’t. Not for lunch. I just… I reapplied from before because-“ she tried to back-pedal but Ashlyn just watched her with amusement. 

“Ali…” she stopped rambling and looked up “I’m messing with you” Ashlyn laughed. 

“Oh…” she smiled and pushed Ashlyn’s shoulder lightly but Ashlyn pulled her into a hug. “I don’t like you” she mumbled from inside the hug. 

“Not what you said last night... literally!” Ashlyn exclaimed which only provoked another push. Ali tried to hold back a smile but did a terrible job at it. Ashlyn smiled back. “You do look nice though” she walked back inside. “Ready for lunch?” she held out a hand and Ali took it.

Ali was a little nervous to hold hands in public so soon but she liked her, a lot. She felt relief when Ashlyn let go right before she opened the room door though. _She knows me so well_.

"So... dinner tonight..." Ashlyn started. 

"Yea?" Ali inquired.  _Yes, this is the date. Finally._

 _  
_"Me, Whit, Alex, and Becky are going to order some Indian food and hang if you want in?"

 _Oh. Guess not._ "Uh yea... yea, that'd be... fun".

"Cool. I'll come by your room before" Ashlyn nudged her a little with a huge smile on her face. Ali just faced forward and continued walking, a little disappointed there was still no date...

 


	9. Chapter 9

"I feel like we're in middle school and I'm coming to hang out with your friends" Ali admitted when Ashlyn met her at the room before dinner. 

She had to laugh at that. "They're your friends too, Al." 

"I know. I'm not nervous or anything. It's just- they're your _best_ friends on the team". 

"They are. And so are you... and Kelley, and Pinoe, and Tobs, and-" 

"I get it" Ali laughed, interupting her. 

"...and Syd" Ashlyn whispered and Ali rolled her eyes. She always had to get the last word.

At camp, Ashlyn usually spent most of her time with Kelley, Alex, Tobin, and Whit. Oh, and Ali of course. Ali would normally hang out with Pinoe and Lori, HAO, Carli, etc. And of course Ashlyn- but they usually hung out just the two of them- or Ashlyn would join Ali with whoever she was with. Ashlyn felt comfortable with everyone. Ali had her go-to group and stuck with them but she loved all the girls on the team. 

She liked how Ashlyn could adapt to any group of the girls. It was comforting in a way. Even when they were in a big group she always remained conscious of Ali. And she always made sure to keep everyone involved, especially her. 

"Do you like this shirt?" She pulled Ali out of her thoughts. 

"Uh..." she was caught off guard. "Step back, let me see." Ashlyn stretched her arms out, covered in a red and black checkered print. Ali rubbed her arm to feel the soft fabric but all she could concentrate on was the feel of Ashlyn's muscle underneath. _Focus, Ali._ "Yea, it looks really good on you." she blushed a little when she said it. 

"Cool." Ashlyn's skin tingled where Ali's hand had just left. They followed the scent of the food and walked into the room. Alex, Becky, and Whit were already unpacking the bag. "Hey guys!" Ashlyn cheered. They all said their hellos at the same time, not really looking up. The food smellled that good. "This is my friend, Ali" she joked and Ali jabbed her in the side. 

"Nice to meet you, Ali" Alex played along. "Didn't know Ashlyn had friends." She playfully raised an eyebrow to Ashlyn. 

"You guys are weird" Ali sat down next to Alex. "Her grandma pays me to be her friend" Ali fake whispered to Alex loud enough for everyone to hear. 

"Remind me to thank her!" Ashlyn winked at Ali when no one was looking and Ali bit back a smile. _Stop being cute, Harris._  

... 

After eating and talking for a while- Becky and Alex went up to the rooms. Whit was telling the story of Ashlyn tripping over her gym bag in front of their entire kick-boxing class during college off-season. "No, Ali, seriously the funniest thing I've ever seen Ashlyn do." 

"I use to be reallllly graceful" Ashlyn laughed sarcastically. She tipped her head to Ali. "Remember the time I slipped in Canada? I brought you and Pinoe down with me." She laughed even harder. 

 _Do I remember? How could I forget? You brought me down on top of you. It was the first time I was so close to you and nothing has been the same since._  "Yea, in the snow, right?" She smacked Whit's knee with the back of her hand. "Pinoe couldn't get up for like five minutes she was laughing so hard." She laughed while thinking back. "Ash is just lucky none of us got hurt." 

"I made sure of it." Ashlyn looked to Whitney. 

"So... you brought them down with you but also made sure they didn't get hurt? Those two cancel each other out, don't they?" 

"I didn't mean to bring them down- it just happened. And I broke Ali's fall. So, yes, I made sure she didn't get hurt." She explained. _But really I pulled her on top of me on purpose._ Ashlyn thought back on how it felt to have Ali in her arms for the first time and she had to fight back a guilty grin. Whit caught it though- she knew Ashlyn too well. She knew about Ashlyn's crush on Ali before Ashlyn even knew about it and she could see it growing over the past year. She wondered if Ali had figured it out yet. 

Everyone always speculated about Ali's crush on Ashlyn but never the other way around. Ali was more obvious about it, at least to everyone but Ashlyn. Ali knew she had to keep herself in check so she kept a cool demeanor in front of Ashlyn... usually. She thought back on a time Ashlyn was getting ready for a date...

 

***

As the best friend, Ali was obviously in charge of making sure Ashlyn looked good. 

"How about this shirt?" Ashlyn walked into the living room and spun slowly. 

"Now that one I like! Much better." Ali feigned excitement and gave her the thumbs up. 

"Yea, this one is usually good. Comes off easily. No buttons!" She undid the snaps in one quick motion. 

"Ash!" Ali acted like she had never seen her in a sports bra before. 

"What?" She laughed. 

"I don't want to hear about that." She pretended to be grossed out by the thought of Ashlyn with someone else but really... she wanted to _be_ that someone else. 

"Why?" Ashlyn said in a teasing voice and came over to wrestle with Ali. "Are you jealous?" She joked but it still made Ali nervous. 

"NO!" Ashlyn paused, a little startled by Ali's quick response. She raised an eyebrow. "I mean, no. I'm not jealous." She restrained Ashlyn's wrists.

"It's cool. I know you want it." Ashlyn joked even further. 

"Nope." _If you only knew. You can't say those things to me._ Ali tried to hold her off but Ashlyn's arms were always much stronger. She broke free and managed to sit on Ali's lap on the couch. Flailing her arms so Ali couldn't grab a hold of them again. 

"You know what I always forget?" She asked between dodging Ali's hands. 

"Mmm?" Ali was concentrating too hard to speak. 

"How ticklish you are." 

"Don't you dare!" Ali stopped and stared in her eyes. Ashlyn looked back at her seriously and then Ali saw a mischievous flash in her eyes. "Ashlyn, no!" She warned. But it was too late Ashlyn's hands dropped to Ali's ribs then her stomach and back up under her arms. She squirmed and giggled and tried to push her off. "Ash- lyn! Stop!" She tried to catch her breath. "This isn't-" hahaha she laughed, unwillingly "funny!" 

"Then why are you laughing?" Ashlyn giggled along with her, fully enjoying making Ali completely breathless with laughter. She finally stopped when she had her fill. Ali punched her in the arm and sat up to force her off her lap. They were on the same level now, face-to-face, only inches apart. 

"I hate you" Ali mumbled, heart still pounding in her chest. She heard Ashlyn chuckle. 

"Do you?" She spoke and Ali let their eyes meet. They both felt it in that moment- the chemistry- it was undeniable- but neither of them wanted to let it be known. They stared at each other for a second. Ali drew in a quick breath and Ashlyn's eyes instinctively dropped to her lips. And then- too suddenly- her eyes darted to the door. _Knock, knock, knock._  

"Your date..." Ali whispered. She tried to hide the disappointment. 

"Yea... I guess I should go." _Please ask me to stay._

Ali was reluctant to move but she knew she had to. "Here..." she grabbed the two sides of Ashlyn's shirt and snapped it all the way up to the top. She grabbed the edges of the collar and pulled them toward herself slightly. She thought about pulling all the way but she knew Ashlyn wasn't on the same page as her. At least she didn't think so. "Have a good night." She tried her best to smile genuinely 

"Thanks." Ashlyn could breathe again when Ali let go of her. "You too." She added quietly, her heart still aching at Ali's closeness when she turned to the door. 

***

 

"Ahem... Ali?" she was pulled back to present day by Ashlyn clearing her throat. 

"Yea... sorry. What?" She shook the memory out of her head. 

"Where'd you go?" Whit chuckled. 

"I was just thinking... about the game ... on Wednesday." She realized it didn't make sense to be thinking about the game so far in advance. It was two days away. "You know... just trying to remember the last time we played Iceland." She added to make it seem less irrational. 

"Right." Whit nodded. "Well I told Yael I'd come watch a movie with them after dinner. Do you guys want to come?"

 "Umm, ye-" 

"No! ...I mean... We already told um... Kelley that we'd come hang tonight. Is that still cool, Ali?" She made a face coaxing her to agree. 

"Y-yeaaa. Uh huh." She knew it was obvious they were lying. 

"Alright weirdos. See you guys tomorrow." Whit got up and winked at Ashlyn who just gave her an embarrassed glare. 

"So... how do you know Kelley isn't watching the movie with them?" Ali inquired jokingly.

"Because Kelley has the attention span of a six year old. And you know there's some weird Monopoly shit going on somewhere in this hotel." They both shook their heads to agree. "Want to come up to my room?" Ashlyn shrugged her shoulders. "We can watch a movie or something." 

"Okay." Ali leaned down to grab her hoodie and they walked to the elevator. 

... 

There were a couple late check-ins waiting in the lobby. An older man in particular kept eyeing Ali. "I think you have a fan." Ashlyn hinted and tilted her head to the guy. 

Ali turned "Huh? Oh... he's hot." She whispered playfully. Ashlyn scrunched her face in disagreement. "What? Are you jealous?" Ali mimicked her from that night, whether Ashlyn knew it or not. 

"Nope." She pulled the snap-back off her head and put it on Ali backwards. "See... Now he knows you're mine." She smiled her famous smile. That cute, little dimple even made an appearance and Ali smiled and shyed her head to the side. Even if Ashlyn was just playing around. _That's what I want to be... your's._

 


	10. Chapter 10

Ashlyn threw her hat on the bed and was relieved to know her roommate was still not back. "What do you want to watch?" Ali sat on the edge of the bed.

"Actually, I have a better idea." Ashlyn started to walk over to her and Ali got nervous, anxious, but not in a bad way. Ashlyn walked past though and opened the door to the balcony. "It's pretty warm out. Want to just hang out here?" She pulled the two chairs to face the ocean, which was barely visable in the darkness. Every now and then you could see the shore break but the sound was perect.

"Sure." Ali walked out and sat in one of the chairs. She wanted to "watch" a movie with Ashlyn for a certain reason but this was nice too.

They talked for a while and Ashlyn was definitely flirting with her. Ali always liked her flirtatious ways, as long as they were directed to her.

And Ali was flirting too. Ashlyn liked when Ali did that- it was cute, and rare to see. Come to think of it, Ashlyn had never seen Ali seriously flirt with anyone else. It made her feel like she was worth a million dollars. Ali's smile was always a little wider when it was just the two of them and Ashlyn worked extra hard to ensure she'd see that smile as often as possible. She caught herself staring a few times in the past... and again right now. Ali caught her too.

"What?" Ali asked softly as she blushed.

"Nothing." Ashlyn bit back a smile but did an awful job at it.

"Whaaat?" She asked again, a little more convincingly.

"Nothing. It's just... that smile." She shook her head. "It never gets old." She smiled back and Ali's grin grew. She turned to the ocean and chuckled.

"Ashlyn Harris, are you... flirting with me?" Ali asked jokingly. She knew she was flirting too.

"Me?! Nooo." Ashlyn joked back. "I don't stand a chance with a pretty girl like you." She looked back to Ali and gave her a soft smile.

"With an attitude like that no wonder it took so long to kiss me." Ali tried to keep a straight face after calling Ashlyn out.

Ash's eyes grew wide and she was clearly amused. She wanted to have a little fun of her own so she turned to Ali. She leaned in. Ali cleared the grin off her face and she closed her eyes.  _That worked._ But Ashlyn never met her lips. Instead she whispered in her ear. "Actually it was you who kissed me." Ashlyn reminded her with a devilish grin on her face.

Ali turned to playfully push Ashlyn away but her hand was caught mid-air.

"I think you forget how fast my reaction time is." Ashlyn teased as she blocked Ali's hand which she now held in her own. They both paused and looked at their hands. Ashlyn was the first to look up. "Hey..." she waited for Ali to meet her gaze.

"Hi." Ali said shyly and watched as Ashlyn leaned in again, refusing to close her eyes this time. Ashlyn glanced at her lips and then back to her brown eyes. She followed them all they way in until her lips met Ali's, finally closing them as Ali did the same.

When they broke, Ashlyn kissed her way up Ali's jaw ending right behind her ear. "Sorry it took me so long to kiss you." She smiled as she whispered into Ali's ear again.

Ali buried her head in the crook of Ashlyn's neck and mumbled. "It was worth the wait."

...

Ashlyn walked Ali to her room a short while later. It was becoming routine. They paused in front of the door and before Ali could bring it up Ashlyn started. "I know I asked you on a date the other day but..."  _Oh no. Why is there a 'but'?_  Ali worried. "We can't interfere with training or games so... what do you think about me taking you to dinner after the game Friday?" Ashlyn masked her nervousness. "It's our next free night and we have two days before the next game." She added before Ali could answer.

"It's a date!" Ali replied confidently and kissed her on the cheek. "'...'Night. See you Friday." She was overly excited but did a good job of maintaining a calm front. She turned to enter her room.

Ashlyn watched her in amusement... "Or see you tomorrow at breakfast, and practice, and yoga, and-" She trailed off as she walked down the hall.

Ali looked down the hall and laughed. "Alright, alright. Wise-ass. See you tomorrow."

...


	11. Chapter 11

The game came and went. Another win for the USA and everyone celebrated in their own way. But there was another game in a few days so celebrating was kept low-key. And that's how Ashlyn planned the date to be. Low-key, casual, just spending time together... alone. It's not like they needed to get to know each other- they were already best friends.

She met Ali at her room and couldn't help but smile when she saw her. No matter what Ali wore- she always caught Ashlyn's eye. Tonight was no exception. Ali had on leggings and a long gray shirt with a light scarf and boots.  _Adorable._ Ashlyn noted.

Ali had the same reaction. Whether Ashlyn was wearing gym shorts and a tank top or skinny jeans and a blazer, Ali always found her incredibly attractive. Right now it was a denim button-up and coral-colored pants, rolled twice at the ankle, with dark blue Sperry's.  _So cute._ She thought.

"Oh, hey. I was actually coming here to pick up some girl for a date but... you look really nice so maybe I'll take you instead?" Ashlyn joked and Ali just smiled and rolled her eyes before closing the door behind her.

Ali bumped shoulders with her as they walked to the shuttle. Ashlyn stopped and offered for her to get on the empty bus first before she followed. When Ali sat down in the second row Ashlyn raised her eyebrows and looked to the back row, then back to Ali. "You're a nerd." She said as she reluctantly sat next to her.

The bus driver hopped on and said something in Portuguese and soon they were off. He dropped them off in town and they thanked him before going on their way. Ashlyn led them to a restuarant right on the beach and held the door for Ali.

"Inside or outside?" She asked Ali after talking with the host for a minute. "Outside, right?" She answered her own question and Ali nodded as if there were no other answer possible.

He led them to a table on the balcony and took their drink order.

"House red, please." Ashlyn ordered for them. "A... half bottle though. Not a full." She clarified. And looked to Ali as he walked away. "Can't mess with training but I would like to have at least one drink with my date." She smiled and Ali reciprocated.

"This place is adorable." Ali looked around. "So cute!" She looked to Ashlyn and smiled that famous smile. "Have you been here before?"

"You could say that." Ali waited for her to explain. "I came and checked it out after training yesterday. Took the shuttle and everything." Ashlyn smiled guiltily. "Wanted to make sure it was good enough."

It warmed Ali's heart to think Ashlyn put that much effort into their date. The feelings were apparent in her eyes as they glistened when she smiled. She wanted to say something, but she didn't due to risk of being cheesy. Thankfully the waitress came with their drinks right then. Ashlyn winked at Ali through the waitress' outstretched arms as she placed the wine glasses on the table.

...

They ordered small plates to share and each made two choices. The sun was setting and they sat close to each other to watch it seemingly disappear into the ocean. When it did, they toasted to the night and gazed at each other a second longer before taking a sip.

...

"You're really not going to try it?" Ali held back a grin.

"You really ordered something called spider crab? It says 'spider' right in the name." Ashlyn cringed.

"Just try it. I promise it's so good." She pushed the plate closer to Ashlyn who just shook her head back-and-forth. Ali had an idea. She scooped a little on a fork and extended it toward Ashlyn. "Come'ere." She coaxed. "You'll like ittt."

The notion caught Ashlyn's attention.  _I mean, if she's going to feed me... Wait, this is a trick!_ She stared at the forkful of food. Ali leaned closer.  _And I'm totally falling for this trick... Give in already._ "Fine." Ashlyn caved.

Ali kept her eyes trained on Ashlyn as she tried it and when she was done, Ali raised her eyebrows- checking for a result. "Well?"

"I think I need another taste to really make sure." She hoped Ali would go along with it.

She did. She wanted Ashlyn to admit to liking it so she could say she was right. She fed her another forkful and waited for the verdict. Ashlyn motioned for another bite. "Like it?"

"No." She replied and Ali gave her a skeptical look. "But I could get use to you feeding me." She wiggled her eyebrows and opened her mouth for more. Ali rolled her eyes through a smile and tossed a napkin at her face.

"You're lucky I think you're cute."

...

Next stop was was a walk on the beach- the usual ritual any time they had the chance- but this time Ashlyn held her hand.

They walked down a ways and sat to talk for a bit. Since the day they met conversation was second nature to them- it just flowed easily.

They stopped to get ice cream from a street vendor and sat on a bench to eat it.

"Want to trade a bite for a bite?" Ashlyn asked and Ali thought about it for a second before agreeing. She contemplated whether or not she thought Ashlyn was plotting to smear ice cream in her face. She assumed she wasn't.

She took a bite of Ashlyn's and extended her's after. If Ashlyn looked up she would have caught a devilish stare. The second Ashlyn was close enough to the cone, Ali shoved it in her face. "Oh... jeeze." She clenched her teeth and pretended to be apologetic but the look on her face proved otherwise. "Sorry about that." She bit back a smile and feigned an apology.

Ashlyn's jaw dropped in mock astonishment. "You know you're done, right?"

Ali didn't think about the repercussions until it was too late. She dropped the cheeky grin in a second and thought of an escape plan. Good thing she was faster than Ashlyn. Or so she thought.

It only took a minute for Ashlyn to catch her, capturing her in a hug from behind, careful not to kick her heels as they slowed down. "You always forget I'm faster than you." She said proudly.

  
_Right, she can run faster, just not longer. Damn._   Ali turned around in the embrace and started walking backward. The look in Ali's eyes distracted Ashlyn long enough for her to forget about focusing on walking and they both tripped over each other's feet, tumbling into the soft sand laughing.

Ashlyn instinctively moved her hand to protect Ali's head from hitting the ground. Ali noticed and the outside world paused for a moment. Ashlyn was lying over her and still chuckling at the awkwardness of the fall. Ali reached for the wrist of the hand that was still protectively cradling her head.

"You better be careful with these hands, keeper. They're the most important thing in your life." She teased.

Ashlyn looked down at Ali's smile and shook her head 'no'.

"They're not?" Ali asked.

Ashlyn shook her head 'no' again before leaning in and kissing Ali. She pulled back after a few seconds and mumbled into her lips... "You are."

...

 


	12. Chapter 12

Ashlyn cut it short. "We should probably head back." She was reluctant to say it but she didn't want to get too deep into this quite yet. She wanted to take it slow for once. Ali shook her head yes but kissed her again, she let it linger on purpose.

"We  _should_..." She concurred but she wasn't really ready to go. Ashlyn chuckled at the not-so-subtle response. 

"We  _have_  to." She clarified. "It's the last shuttle." She moved to the side, her hand still on the side of Ali's ribs. She was hyper-aware of how Ali felt under her fingertips. She knew resisting this girl and taking it slow was going to be near impossible. Especially with the look she was getting right now. That convincing look. "Come on." She ran her hand down Ali's arm and laced their fingers together before standing up and pulling Ali with her. 

They sat in the back row this time- Ali led the way. "Feel like a cool kid now?" She teased. 

"I was always the cool kid." Ashlyn responded and fixed her collar. Ali pulled her by the arm into the seat and she crashed down next to her. "Hi." Ashlyn exhaled when Ali pulled her close and looked at her with intention. It was dark on the bus but Ashlyn could still see Ali smile and bite her lip before Ashlyn leaned in slowly to kiss her. A long, passionate kiss. 

The shuttle driver hopped on the bus soon after and they broke apart, laughing about their spoiled moment.   

... 

When the shuttle dropped them off, Ali started toward the lobby, only to be stopped by Ashlyn grabbing her hand. She nodded for Ali to come with her and laced their fingers together as they walked. 

Back to the hammock area. No one was there- to both of their delight. 

They sat on one of the hammocks and talked for a bit. Mostly flirtatious nonsense. Mostly Ali flirting with Ashlyn and Ashlyn whispering endearing things in her ear. Ali loved this side of her. She already knew the flirtatious Ashlyn and the heart-breaking Ashlyn- she had seen those from the outside. But she never saw her show this softer side with anyone else she dated. And as much as she wanted Ashlyn- this made her even more desirable. Ali felt so lucky to be where she was right now. 

Ashlyn looked into the eyes of what she considered to be "the girl of her dreams" and she thought back on how she didn't believe in that phrase until recently. Because really that's exactly what Ali was to her. She knew she had to do this right- she couldn't rush things with this one. She couldn't push this one away. She couldn't have her fun and then walk away to leave the girl behind this time. This was for real. And Ashlyn knew she had to make it count. 

She was leaning into Ali's neck, kissing and nipping at her pulse point as Ali kept her close with a hand wrapped around her neck. She could see Ali's smile from there. She could feel it too. She got an idea. 

Ali was a little confused when Ashlyn took out her phone, not breaking from kissing her neck though. Ali tried to redirect her attention by dipping her head to catch Ashlyn's lips. It worked. For a second. But then Ashlyn was back to scrolling through her phone out of the corner of her eye. "One sec." She paused Ali who was getting a little annoyed at this point. 

"Better offer?" Ali asked pointedly. 

Ashlyn looked up at her. "Impossible." She said smoothly as she raised an eyebrow to Ali. She knew it was rude to be on her phone right now but she had a plan. 

Ali was about to take the phone from her when Ashlyn stood up and reached for her hand. She gave her a look but grabbed it anyway and Ashlyn pulled Ali to her feet. 

Ashlyn slid the phone in the pocket of her button-up, a song playing through the speaker as she wrapped Ali's arms around her neck. Ashlyn slipped her hands down to Ali's waist and held on. 

Ali smiled, glad she didn't take the phone from her hands a second ago. Glad she waited just a little longer. She looked at Ashlyn, she was so concentrated on Ali. Staring in her eyes. Smiling deep into them. If Ali could fall any harder for this girl, she would right now. 

They danced slowly to the song playing in Ashlyn's pcoket. Ashlyn saw something different in Ali's eyes. Different from before and different from anything she saw with anyone else. No one had ever looked at her that way before and she made a mental note of it. She wrapped an arm around Ali's waist and pulled her closer. Ali rested her head on Ashlyn's shoulder and smiled. Ashlyn could feel the grin on her neck. 

"This is kind of cliche, I know." Ashlyn admitted but Ali thought the whole thing was adorable. Ashlyn truly treated her differently than anyone else. Like royalty. 

"No way." She argued. "This is perfect, Ash." She mumbled. Ali was a sucker for romantic gestures. 

Ashlyn smiled. She just needed the affirmation. "So, can I take you on second date?" She pulled back to see Ali's face. 

She was blushing. "Yea." She looked up through her eyelashes. "I'd like that." She smiled and kissed Ashlyn. 

They danced in silence. Ashlyn loved holding Ali in her arms. Ali loved leaning into Ashlyn, feeling how close she was. They moved like this until the song ended. 

"I guess that's our cue, huh?" Ali asked and nodded toward the path to the hotel. 

"Guess so." Ashlyn agreed even though she wasn't ready to let go yet. She kissed Ali one more time before dropping her hand for Ali to take. 

They walked slowly back to the hotel, fingers laced together, smiling like crazy. Both of them.  

"You know... you really are a romantic." Ali grinned and Ashlyn just blushed and tightened her grip.  

"Only for Ali Krieger." She pulled her closer. 

"Mmmm good answer." Ali replied admiringly and clung to Ashlyn's arm as they walked down the hall toward Ali's room. She wished they were walking backwards. Hoping the night would never end. 

"So... I guess this is goodnight." Ashlyn broke the short silence. 

Ali exhaled a laugh and nodded her head up and down. "Yea, I think so." She leaned back against the door and let Ashlyn come to her.  

Ashlyn stepped up slowly and leaned into Ali. She tipped her head forward but just out of Ali's reach and tilted it to the side. She slowly moved in to kiss her and when she did, Ali exhaled and leaned into it.

They only moved apart when they heard the ding of the elevator and separated a little. It was no one they knew and they were glad- only wanting to share this moment with themselves. 

"I had a really nice time tonight." Ali whispered and pecked her lips. "We'll do it again?" She asked, their foreheads leaned together. 

Ashlyn looked up into her eyes. "Uh huh." She kissed Ali one more time before the parted ways for the night.  

Ali watched her walk away and eventually entered her room.  _Best date ever._

Ashlyn jumped up in the air and smiled while she punched the sky after she heard Ali's door close behind her.  _Yes! First date was a success. Now onto the next..._ Ashlyn tried to remember the last time she was so excited about dating a girl. She couldn't. No one made her feel like this. No one.


End file.
